Man convicted in stabbing death of mom's friend

SANTA ANA – A Santa Ana man with a history of violence toward his mother was convicted of second-degree murder Monday for stabbing his mother's friend to death during a confrontation in October 2010.

A jury of six men and six women deliberated about seven hours after a two-week trial and also found that Saul Jose Salazar, 29, used a knife – a penalty enhancement – to kill Antonio Verdugo-Cabrera.

Salazar, who showed no reaction when the verdicts were announced, faces a potential term of 16 years to life in prison at his sentencing Feb. 15 by Superior Court Judge Patrick Donahue.

Deputy District Attorney Susan Price contended that Salazar had been kicked out of his mother's house after he became violent with her in the early morning hours of Oct. 3, 2010, but returned several hours later while a party was under way and provoked an argument with Verdugo-Cabrera. Salazar then stabbed Verdugo-Cabrera three times, including once in the chest, in an upstairs bedroom, police said.

Salazar's mother had taken out a restraining order against him due to prior acts of violence toward her, but the restraining order expired two weeks before the stabbing.

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